So this thread seems to have drifted into a definition of folk music minefield.

Is John Gorka "folk"? As much so as other people that may have been mentioned on the Mudcat - James Keelaghan (who I think Gorka sounds a bit like), Garnet Rogers, Stephen Fearing etc. And then continuing with this list - Stan Rogers, Tom Paxton, Bob Dylan etc etc. Or do you have to have a traditional component to make it folk? - Richard Thompson has written some great "traditional English folk songs" eg Beeswing. I suppose the best thing is to enjoy the music and give up on trying to categorise it.

I just saw this on another list serve which acts as yet another (amusing ) definition of "folk"

"Folk is when you're too old to rock'n roll, and too dumb for jazz."

Seems as good as any other definition!

As for Gorka, what I've heard I like, but I will agree with Paul G. above and say that one of my favourite artists' at present is Richard Shindell. When I heard him for the first time this year, he absolutely blew me away. Enough so that we're putting him on at the Flying Cloud Folk Club in Toronto on Sept. 21 (OK a bit of a plug here - I'll put the full list in What's On eventually).

Cheers Rana